Carlisle and Lysander
by CarLyse
Summary: This is a role-play story between Carlisle Cullen and an original, non-Twilight character by the name of Lysander Fullbright.


**_This is a role-play between Carlisle Cullen and an original, non-Twilight character by the name of Lysander Fullbright (Lyse for short). To learn more about Lyse and his story, visit his RP myspace page at /fierce intentx. Please note that the perspectives change regularly between Carlisle and Lyse. Change of a perspective is signified by two dotted lines. The story begins in Lyse's perspective._**

--

The rain came down in sheets. Wherever he was, rain reminded him of Scotland. Lyse didn't go back to England anymore. More then sixty years had passed, but the memories were fresh as an open wound. He didn't know if he could ever go back. He couldn't move that far from where he was originally. He had chosen Scotland. The rugged landscape and the lilting accents made him close enough to what he knew to feel comfortable. His voice, however, had become a combination of the two accents. The one he was born with, and the one he was around all the time.

But now he traveled about, for his own purposes. He was now in a tiny corner of Washington State. He didn't know quite why he had chosen it. It certainly had good running ground. It had a lot of forests and sloping hills. The rain soaked his hair, an inky black, and the gray shirt he wore. He slid in the mud a little, loosing his footing, but he still kept running. At last he came to the end, where the hill he had been running on abruptly ended. It stopped at about twenty feet above the tarmac road.

Twenty, he thought with a scoff. Where was the challenge? Without pausing or slowing down in the slightest, he launched himself off of it, feeling the wondrous rush of air on his cool skin. Better then drugs, healthier then drugs as well. He had been there for the seventies. Really, they weren't that fantastic. He somersaulted, and landed on his shoulder, springing up with the consistency of a rubber ball. Laughing a little, breathless and pink, he followed the road toward the town at the same pace, picking up as though he had never stopped.

--

Carlisle stepped out of the hospital doors and into the cool afternoon air, ttossing his white jacket over his shoulder. He hurried to his black Mercedes and slid inside with a sigh of relief. He loved the hospital, but he had been spending far too much time there as of late, and Esme was beginning to show her objection to this. Fortunately, he was able to leave a little earlier today and was now looking forward to surprising his beautiful wife and family.

He drove down the deserted road out of town. It was raining heavily, but still the sun managed to peak through the overcast sky in patches, illuminating the asphalt with a soft golden glow. It was a rare occurrence in Forks, and it gave the landscape a beautiful yet almost surreal appearance. Carlisle smiled, enjoying the moment thoroughly, for in this moment he felt human, alive, at peace with the entire world. Then the shrill ring of his cellphone broke the silence, interrupting his much needed moment. Carlisle flipped open the phone and brought it to his ear with a slight frown. He recognized Dr. Hartford's voice. They had just received a trauma case and needed Carlisle back at the hospital. Carlisle slowed the car and pulled over to the side of the road, prying for more details, surely they could handle it without him.

At that very moment a young man sped by him on foot, going in the opposite direction towards town. He was going much too fast for a human. Carlisle's first thought was "vampire", but then he immediately realized that Alice would have seen him coming, and she would have informed Carlisle as soon as she had. Dr. Hartford was still babbling at him through the receiver. "I'll call you right back," Carlisle told him, and shut the phone before Dr. Hartford could respond. He stepped out of the car and began running full speed after the mysterious boy. Within moments, Carlisle caught up with him. He stepped directly in front of the boy, forcing him to come to an abrupt stop. The boy stared back at Carlisle, a look of complete shock and astonishment across his face. Carlisle offered a friendly smile, "Hello."

--

Lyse was just starting to run. The forest flew around him and the air was fast and fresh in his lungs. It seemed he was running so fast, he couldn't catch it enough of it to breathe. His chest moved quickly, up and down. He gasped for air, a stupid little smile on his face. It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling, but he relished it all the same. His body was meeting his demands. His body was running with his spirit.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw motion. It startled him to death for half a second, but then he realized he was being ridiculous. There was no way something was keeping with this speed.

His heart jolted in his chest, in less time then it took him to blink he knew.

No. Something was.

Keep it. Keep it. You can beat them, you can go faster. Out run them Lyse, come on. He picked up his speed to a furious pace, his heart thudding loud in his ears. He would have bet his plane ticket home it wasn't friendly, whatever it was.

But the other was just playing with him, he realized with dark despair. His speed was no match, despite all. The other cut quickly in front of him, their body nothing but a blur. Lyse came to an abrupt halt, his entire figure tensed and wracked with panic. He was strong, but he wasn't that strong. Anything that could run faster then him was probably superior in every aspect. Chest heaving, eyes desperate, he faced them.

Imagine the shock. He was perfectly normal. Lyse had expected a…strange creature beyond all imagining. Instead, he was faced with a young man. Older then him, slightly, with pale skin, blond, and an air of ease and confidence, just standing in front of him. His face was polite, open and composed, with no tension. Lyse could help but relax a little seeing him. No one like this could mean any harm.

As he saw that the other face bore no sign of shock or tension, he struggled to compose his breathing. He still felt the panting gasp of the breath in his lungs, the panic and rush of adrenaline dying down, but he spoke. "What….are…yea…doing?" He shook his head, his hands clenching at his sides. He sat down in the dirt. The sudden rush and dwindle of chemicals in his body in mere seconds were more then he could take.

--

Carlisle was now certain that whom ever this young man was, he was just that, a young man, a human. He was baffled, he couldn't understand how a human being could be so fast, almost as fast as a vampire. Panic was beginning to slowly rise within him, perhaps he just appeared to be human, but he was really something else entirely. Something Carlisle, in the numerous centuries of his existence, had never seen before. After all, he hadn't known about the werewolves down at La Push until his arrival to Washington. Nothing was an impossibility.

Despite the large array of emotions that were now battling inside of him, Carlisle kept his composure and portrayed nothing more than a pleasant demeanor towards the strange young man. It was something he was forced to become an expert at while working within hospital walls. He seemed to be struggling for air. Carlisle was sure his sudden appearance had terrified him, he had to be going into shock. Finally, the boy blurted out something in a thick accent that Carlisle instantly found familiar. And then the new stranger sat in the dirt, attempting to recover, no doubt. His accent was english, but it was mixed with what sounded like a Scottish accent as well, the Scottish accent was much more pronounced.

Carlisle had a million questions, but he refrained from asking them. Instead he kneeled down by the young man and rested his hand on his shoulder. He kept his voice kind and friendly, "just try to relax, focus on your breathing. I mean you no harm. I'm sorry if I frightened you," he continued, "It was not my intention." The boy seemed to be breathing a little more evenly now. Carlisle carefully observed him, searching for any major signs of shock. He appeared to be fine. He then remembered the question the young man had asked him before he collapsed to the ground. "What are you doing?" He had asked. Carlisle tried to think of a rational reply. "I saw you run by, and..." he paused, perhaps it was too late, but he wasn't about to share with this stranger that he was a 300 year old vampire, not just yet at least. "I was intrigued." He settled for that. An extremely unhelpful response. Carlisle stood up and held out his hand to help the boy stand.

--

Lyses' thoughts were going so fast, he just stared at the ground. His heart beat was slowing; his breaths were coming easier now. For the first time, he felt his age, eighty. He was tired, worn to the ground and more frightened then he had been a long time.

Why was this man acting to friendly? What was his game? Why had he chased him? How could he run so fast? All the time the man was talking in a gentle soothing tone, telling him to be calm, his voice a soothing balm on the shocking situation, analyzing his face in a professional fashion.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye, the man's expression changed infinitesimally once Lyse spoke. Did he recognize his accent? His brow furrowed in frustration. He couldn't focus for long, his brain just didn't seem to be able take it. The man offered a hand after apologizing, and Lyse took it. He was embarrassed for being seen so weak, and he stared the stranger in the face, almost threateningly, but in eyes there was a desperate sense of pleading.

His face was pallid, and color was slowly returning, but his eyes were focused on the man's face, very confused.I need answers He begged silently, but he knew there was no way he was going to get them. The things the man had said didn't apply, not really. It didn't explain anything.

"You're mad," Lyse said at last, his voice stronger now. "Or I'm mad….I'm not sure which." He ran his hand through his hair looking around distractedly. "Do you mind explain' to me jus' how you did tha'?" He asked, his aggravation flaring. "Or am I suppos' to jus walk away not knowing?" Now that his strength was back, he could think more clearly. This man didn't want to tell him what had really happened. Lyse thought he had a right to know.

--

Carlisle could see that the boy was angry. Frustration seemed to emanate from every feature on his face. He had good reason to be. What Carlisle had done was foolish, he knew that. He had risked exposing himself, and there was nothing he could do to reverse the obvious damage that had been done. He detected something else in the boy's eyes as well, a slight desperation. He was in need of an explanation, or he'd never be at peace, Carlisle could see that. He tried to prepare himself for the questions he knew would be coming from the young stranger. But when they came, he was at a loss for words. How could he explain what had just happened without unveiling his family's secret? But what about the boy? He was demanding answers from Carlisle as if Carlisle were the peculiar one in the situation. They were both at fault for flaunting their abnormalities.

Carlisle knew his own expression had changed within the last few moments, he had lost his focus on remaining calm. He was sure his face resembled that of a man who was in a state of inner turmoil, unsure of what to do next. He cursed at himself silently for letting down his guard. The boy was still waiting for his answer. Carlisle decided he would answer him in due time, but first things were first, how much of a threat was he? "Now just a moment, young man, I wasn't the only one who was running faster than a speeding train. How do you explain yourself?" But Carlisle continued, without letting the boy respond, "As I said before, I find it very intriguing, this ability you seem to have in common with me." Carlisle put his hands into his pockets, trying to regain his air of ease. He remembered then that he was wearing his hospital scrubs, how odd of a character he must seem to this young man. "I need to know whether or not you mean this town or my family any harm. What are your intentions here, if you don't mind my asking?"

--

Lyse knew a tone of authority when he heard one, and was wise enough to shrink slightly from it. This man knew what he was doing, and he wasn't afraid to do what he needed to get answers. But at the last statement, Lyse gave him a blank and incredulous stare that would have seemed so common on his young face. "You're serious?" He said his tone with a hint of mocking. He stopped though, once he saw the look on the stranger's face. "Look, do I seem like they guy to hurt anyone?" He spread his arms wide, showing off his full skinny frame, with light cotton t-shirt and jeans. He couldn't understand what he meant. Running fast wasn't a weapon.

He had never considered it in that way. He had had no need to.

He stared at the other face, but it was unrelenting. "I've got no knives or anything, honestly, search me, you'll find nothin" He paused, thinking back on a way he could accurately answer all the man's questions. "My intentions here? What else? Travel without the crowds…" He shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant fashion, but he knew he wasn't finished, not yet. "As for explaining myself..." He shook his head, and a smirk pulled at the corners of his lips. "If you're asking for my story friend, it's a long one, but here, I'll shorten it for you."

His eyes hardened ever so slightly, and his voice took on an edge of bitterness. "Since were both freaks here, surely this won't be too surprising." He spat out the word, angry at himself, and he cooled down before continuing. "You know the London bombings? Air raids, 1944? My family was in those. I was in those. I went looking for them….the bomb went off….and now my family's gone. It's been sixty three years and I haven't changed, but I can run." He bit the inside of his cheek, daring the man to contradict him and call him a lunatic. It didn't matter. If he did, he'd be halfway across the country before the police could arrive.

His voice was cool and empty as he spoke. "Now it's your turn."

--

Carlisle stared back at the boy, somewhat speechless. This stranger had just shared with him his deepest secret, in a nutshell. It was quite clear, he was trusting. Perhaps a little too trusting. Carlisle remembered the London bombings of 1944 very well. He remembered hearing of them at least. He had been long gone from the city by then, but he had always kept himself up to date with all the happenings of his beloved place of birth. This boy had survived a bomb? Obviously something had happened, and it changed the young man before him. "Simply fascinating." He said out loud, the statement mainly to himself. He ignored the boy's request for an explanation in turn, and instead studied him in awe. Not a scar, no visible damage what so ever. Carlisle had seen some odd things throughout his long career as a doctor, indeed, but never anything like this. The human standing before him was impossibility, in the flesh. But when he compared the boy to himself, how odd was he really? He too was something of a phenomenon. Him, and all of his kind.

Carlisle finally snapped out of his trance when he noticed the boy growing uncomfortable. Surely still waiting for Carlisle's explanation, for some sort of response other than a goggling stare. He smiled, "I do owe you an explanation, I know. But why don't I introduce myself properly first." He held out his hand to initiate a proper hand shake. "My name is Carlisle Cullen, and whatever you're thinking I am, I can assure you, you are wrong." He laughed quietly to himself for a short moment. "You have not told me your name yet."

As soon as Lyse had given his name, the shrill ring of Carlisle's cell phone sounded in the distance. Carlisle turned his head in the direction of his car, which was far out of viewing range. In a situation like this, he would have ignored it, but he knew who was calling. He had just made a decision that would affect his family, and Alice had something to say about it. He looked back at Lyse, "Please, give me one moment, I will be right back. Please stay, don't go." He smiled broadly, and then disappeared from sight. Before a reaction could even be allowed, Carlisle was standing where he was just a moment before, cell phone in hand. He flipped open the phone and held it to his ear, still smiling. "Carlisle speaking." Sure enough, Alice's voice responded, "Carlisle, what are you doing? Are you sure that's the best decision?"

"No worries Alice." He looked at Lyse, "we will see you shortly." He snapped the phone shut. "I'd like to invite you to come with me, Lyse. I will explain everything to you in the car."

--

As he watched the man's fascinated gaze fall over him, Lyse was filled slowly but surely with the thick heavy slime of regret. He never should have said anything. What had he been thinking? He had to run, he had to get out of here. He was insane to think he could trust anyone with his story, ever. What was he doing? When the man left to get his phone, only for a moment, Lyse put his face in his hands and let out a strangled cry. He knew it would be useless to run, but oh god, what had he done? He felt like a trapped animal. If he were the age he actually appeared, he probably would have started to cry. What was this man going to do? Who was he, this Carlisle Cullen. He thought back on the man's words with a sudden malice that he so rarely had, brought on by the panic.

Stay, don't go, the man had said. It's not like he had a choice.

And he had been staring at him, looking for scars, looking for marks, and Lyse knew he had none. The cuts from the window he had broken had faded long ago to nothing. Lyse had often searched himself for the answer to why he was so different. Why he was so strange. He thought that maybe if he waited a certain amount of time he would age, like everyone else. But after so many years, he had reluctantly deemed it an impossibility.

Another thing, Lyse thought to himself. He hadn't shown it when he shook the man's hand, but his touch had been shockingly cold, as though he had kept it in ice. It was so strange. Everything, just…didn't make sense. Lyse blew out a heavy breath. He needed to calm down and remain that way. This man wasn't harming him. Not in any way. Maybe this man was like him. Maybe he could help him. Maybe he had answers. That cheered him enough to come back to himself. He was Lyse now, simply himself, and open.

When Carlisle invited him to come with him, Lyse's jaw nearly dropped. He invited him. He had no means of forcing him, but was genuinely interested. He turned the words over in his head. No worries Alice. Who was Alice? But he wasn't afraid anymore, that had passed, as easily as it had come. Lyse nodded slowly. He had the promise of answers now. Lyse thought practically as he walked with Carlisle. Even if something happens to me, I've had a long life. He shrugged his shoulders, settling into a more comfortable carefree self. What was life if you didn't take chances?

"Alright," Lyse agreed. He bit his lip and nodded again. "Alright." He repeated, as though reassuring himself. He slid into the cars' dark interior and tried not to let his eyes linger too much on the things around him. The leather was so soft. "So," He smiled a little, glancing at the man beside him. "Who's Alice?"

--

As soon as Lyse had agreed to come with him, Carlisle wondered what visions Alice might be seeing now. He was quite certain they were nothing to cause alarm, he felt he could fully trust the boy. Lyse seemed to be entirely innocent, no ulterior motives what so ever. But oddly enough, he saw a small risk in Lyse's innocence. He seemed to be far too careless with this "gift" he possessed. Enough so to perhaps unintentionally cause, at the least, a stir in the sleepy town of Forks. Perhaps it was a tad far fetched, but he knew one could never be too cautious. Keeping his eye on the boy during his stay here had become a task Carlisle personally accepted openly. After all, Lyse was extremely intriguing, he wouldn't mind learning more about him as well.

Understandably, Lyse appeared hesitant to go with him at first. But by the time they had reached the Mercedes, he seemed significantly more relaxed than before. "So, who's Alice?" he asked, finally giving Carlisle a smile. He glanced at Lyse with raised eyebrows, but then remembered he had said Alice's name during the phone conversation. He looked back at the road ahead of him and started the car. He immediately accelerated to 60 mph, the car purred without any objection. Though it was much slower than the speed he was used to, he decided it would be unwise to go any faster, given the current company. Besides, he would need the extra time to explain. Carlisle wondering whether or not the boy would bolt out of the car and take off running as soon as they reached the house. After what he was about to share with Lyse, it wouldn't be a surprise.

"Seeing as you were paying such close attention to my conversation with Alice, I'm sure you're wondering what she was calling about." he finally replied, knowing the boy was probably beginning to become annoyed at how gracefully well he dodged all of his questions. "She was concerned, you see, about the safety of our family." He continued to stare ahead, knowing that response would mean very little to Lyse, for now at least. He also knew that before he could continue, he would need to share the most difficult and revealing bit of his confession. His hands tightened around the steering wheel. He cleared his throat, and attempted to sound casual. No need for his tone to turn this more into a horror movie than it already was. "I'm certain you've heard many stories about vampires." He paused again. Carlisle was sure that if his heart still had the ability to beat, it would now be beating rapidly within his chest. He noticed that, due to his own anxiety, he was now pushing the speed of the car towards 90. He began to slow it again to 60 and took a deep breath. He shared his secret with me, I can share mine with him he assured himself. He continued, "Well, you happen to be sitting beside one at this very moment, Lyse." It was done, no turning back now. Carlisle finally looked back at the poor, young soul next to him, preparing himself for the terrified look he knew he would find upon his face.

--

Dodged again. Lyses' brow furrowed. He still didn't explain, he just said Alice was worried, but worried about what? He wasn't...okay so he was strange, but apparently so was this other. What could be worse then him? Was this family not actually strange, but just, talented or something? If so, Lyse doubted the man would have acted so calmly when faced with him. He just didn't understand. Carlisle said no more about Alice, but seemed to become something like a statue, his body still, tense, pale. And then he spoke of vampires. What a joke! What did this have to do with anything?

Lyse smiled a little, but one of pure puzzlement, as though he knew the joke was going to be funny already, but hadn't heard the punch line. He stared at the man across from him, waiting in the silence. The smile slowly drained from his face like water out of a cup. He noticed how hard Carlisle gripped the steering wheel and how the car was being pushed toward the abnormal speed of 90mph. His gaze was steely, as though he had just shown something uncomfortable to an entire room. In the tense moment, time seemed to stop. It hit Lyse with the silent force of a wrecking ball. He was serious.

His face paled, and his heart started to beat hard in his chest, as though threatening to burst. Oh no. Oh fuck. He suddenly felt so light and afraid he could barely speak. All Lyse knew about vampires was little, and laughable. But if it was real, it could be summed up in four words. Vampires drank human blood.You're going to kill me aren't you?" Lyse asked in a voice that was like a wisp of wind from the fear, and it had more weight as a statement, rather then a question.

He had been deceived, by the mere illusion of openness and comfort that this man exuded! He should have known better! Well, sometimes murders have to be charismatic, thought Lyse somewhere in his brain. That's how they get their victims. The whole thing was just so...unlikely. He didn't think he would die this way. Lyse knew who Alice was now. His accomplice. She was asking if it was alright to kill him. No worries Alice. All going to plan.

"So you dragged me all the way into your car just to tell me this? So you could kill me? Why not just do it there? And why did you want me anyway?" His eyes felt hot, and they prickled with panic, and the onrush of emotion. He may have been older, but for the most part, he remained in the mindset of what he was, a seventeen year old boy. Bombs froze you that were what they did to Lyse. And although he was 80, he felt too young to die. His nails dig into his palms. He couldn't stand it. All he heard was the sound of the accelerating engine in his ears.

--

Carlisle watched as Lyse seemed to fall apart at the seams right in front of him. A long string of questions came out of him all at once. Questions Carlisle was expecting. He could hear the boy's heart-rate accelerating, his breathing becoming more rapid but shallow. He looked as if he might pass out at any moment. Carlisle's first response was to lock the doors. He knew the irrational things people would do sometimes when they were this frightened. The last thing he wanted was for Lyse, in an attempt to escape, to jump from a speeding car. Perhaps Lyse would pick the risk of the jump over the bite of a vampire. He regretted hitting the locks immediately after. The boy would probably take it the wrong way. "Lyse, let me explain, I don't want to hurt you." It pained Carlisle to see him in such a panic. To know that he was now expecting death by a vampire, of all things!

Carlisle was still looking back at Lyse, when he barely missed the turnoff to the house. He swerved at the last minute, the tires screeching into the silence of the thick forest around them. The smooth pavement was now replaced by the uneven dirt and gravel of the narrow drive. Carlisle had very little time left to explain before Lyse would be able to escape.

He knew he needed to get him on his side, to understand, or it could result in possible disaster. "What I'm trying to tell you is that I'm nothing like the vampires you've heard about. I don't hurt humans, and neither does my family." The words were coming out of him in a rush, almost too quick for human ears. They were nearing the house now. Carlisle was sure Edward would be listening, and so he directed his next thoughts towards him. _Edward, make sure no one comes outside. Let me handle the boy alone. I have a feeling this isn't going to be anything like how it was with Bella. _

"My family and I, we don't drink the blood of humans. We drink the blood of animals. I have never tasted a drop of human blood in my entire life. I'm a doctor, Lyse, do you think I could work in a hospital with thousands of human beings everyday if I thirsted for their blood?" They had reached the house. Carlisle slowly pulled the car to a stop in front of it, and cut the engine. He leaned back, resting his head on the seat, and looked back at Lyse. Carlisle couldn't quite read his expression. The only thing he could think to say now was, "Are you okay?"

--

Carlisle's words came out at first too fast for him to catch. The speed was at a frightening one now. Lyse focused hard on what he was saying. He wasn't going to hurt him, he wasn't like the vampires you heard about, he was different. He seemed very aware of the fact that Lyse could run like the wind if he ever got the chance, and made quick to explain himself. Lyse simply fixed his expression into one of blankness, not ignoring anything that was said, yet not trying to take it all in either. It is said that when something goes wrong with the body that is too much for it to handle, it shuts down. That usually refers to something physical.

With Lyse, it was mental. He focused on thinking about the least amount possible, besides the bare essentials, and what was being said to him. If he thought to much about his current situation, who knows what he would become? They turned hard, and Lyse smacked against the glass with a dull thud. It was what he needed. It shook him. They drove slower now, and then stopped.

His heartbeat slowed as they sat in silence. He could still feel it with his overly acute senses, but it was the slow soothing thump that he was used to. He realized his hand was gripping the armrest of the seat with white knuckles. He slowly pried his hand off. He stared out the windshield, his eyes far away, as he tried to frame a coherent question. He could still hear the squeal of the tires in his ears as they turned, but now it was only a faint echo of his imagination. "So you aren't going to hurt me." He said at last. It was something he had known all along really, but now it was solidified.

His lips parted as though he was going to speak, and then thought again. So Lyse had told the man his story, which resulted in the aspect of being told one in return. But…why had the man followed him in the first place? "You thought I was one of you, didn't you? That's why you followed me." He shook his head, a faint smile of disbelief on his lips. "But I wasn't." He pursed his lips, looking over at Carlisle at last.

"So what's going to happen now? We know our stories but…you said family." His eyes widened. "Oh. Oh!" His brain was working now, it was as if condensation had been wiped from the glass.

"You're showing me to your family." He shifted a little, now fully aware of his actions beforehand. "I'm sorry I acted so awfully to you," He said with deep sincerity ringing in his voice.

--

Lyse didn't notice Carlisle's question, but as soon as he heard Lyse's heartbeat slow to a regular rhythm, he knew the worst of it was over. He believed Carlisle, that's what mattered most. Lyse said it out loud, not as a question, but as more of a confirmation it seemed. "So you aren't going to hurt me." Carlisle responded to this with a nod and a faint smile. Then more questions immediately followed, but Lyse answered each of his own inquiries as quickly as they were stated, never giving Carlisle a chance to speak his replies, so he just nodded instead. He could see that the whole picture was becoming more and more clear for Lyse, everything progressively falling into place. Within moments, his face changed from an expression of confusion to one of realization and then finally to what looked like an expression of slight repent. He then said, "I'm sorry I acted so awfully to you."

Carlisle was taken aback. The kid was actually apologizing to him. He shifted forward and turned towards Lyse, facing him more directly now. "How else would one act?" he asked. His frown then changed into a grin, "I would have been worried if you had reacted in another way, to be honest. Meeting a vampire isn't really an occurrence one could take lightly." Still grinning, he settled back into his seat, letting his head rest again.

He stared out the windshield. The car was parked facing the front of the enormous white house, a light to the left of the door illuminated the front porch, and at that moment, another light from the living room window flickered on. Tall trees towered over them, appearing as dark shadows now that the sun had completely set. The whole scene looked somewhat eerie. Carlisle gestured towards the house with one hand, "Well, this is it." He then reached for the door handle, but paused and looked back at Lyse again. "Uh, before we go in, there's something else you should probably know about my family. A few of the members have...special talents, I guess you could say." He watched his face carefully, hoping this wouldn't be too much information at once. But he had a right to know before meeting everyone, he owed the boy that much at least. "Like Alice for instance, she called me because she knew I was going to take you home with me. She can see the future of others, it's an ability she has always possessed. Then of course there's Edward and Jasper. Be careful with your thoughts around Edward, he can literally hear what you're thinking. In fact, he's probably listening to your mind right now." He chuckled at this and then continued, "If out of nowhere, you suddenly get an overwhelming feeling of ease, that would be Jasper, he can control the emotions of others. It's quite miraculous really. You see Lyse, in comparison, you're really not such a freak after all." He gave him a wink, and then grabbed the door handle again, "Shall we?"

--

Lyse looked guiltily at him. He appreciated the effort, but he still felt ashamed. "It wasn't…fair to you. You didn't do anything." He pursed his lips, swallowed and faced Carlisle. He had no idea how very young and open his face looked, so heartbreakingly friendly. What was perhaps more perplexing was that he meant it. He was one of the few most positive people you would ever find, in an honest way. He accepted life and all it was, but he did not dwell on it if he didn't have to. He already saw both sides of one situation, and was able to decide quickly. He chose to trust Carlisle.

The next words made Lyse pause, with his hand on the door. He's joking, was Lyses' first thought. Reading thoughts? Controlling emotions? Bullocks. He sat in his seat for a moment, as Carlisle reached for the door handle. He couldn't help it. He turned toward him. "Really?" his voice came out a little hesitant, but still trying to be friendly. His brow was furrowed, his left cheek bit from the inside. He took the silence as consent. "Well alrigh' then." He smirked a little, the accent that rolled off of his tongue lilted up his end.

He stepped out onto the driveway, the gravel crunching under the weight of his feet. It was so pretty here, it stopped his breath. His face screwed up as he watched the long grass ripple. It was as though he was concentrating very hard on something. He was just trying to figure out why he liked it so much. "It peaceful here." He said it as though he was surprised. He turned on his heel and looked up at the house, magnificent with hints of gentle grandeur, in sweeping gray-white.

He nodded to Carlisle and walked with him. Just to be sure, he took a deep breath, made sure he showed nothing but calm friendliness that he felt inside, and thought; get out of my head very clearly. Of course he felt like an idiot the second he thought it, and let out a laugh, laughing at himself. He allowed himself to be curious as he stepped up to the door with Carlisle. "So, if they have gifts, what do you have?" He flashed a friendly smirk, and waited in front of the door, hands at his sides.

--

As they walked towards the house, Carlisle couldn't help but glance back at Lyse every few seconds. It was at that moment that he actually wished he possessed Edward's gift. Curiosity had the best of him and he wondered what the boy could possibly be thinking. Lyse's entire demeanor seemed to be improving by the second, his expression was calm now, at ease. He had even smiled a few times. Would this change once he met the family? Perhaps this was all some sort of defense mechanism, and at any moment he would snap out of it and start screaming in horror. Sure, he had told Lyse he didn't hurt humans, that he only drank animal blood, but it didn't change the cold hard fact that he was still a vampire. Never mind what type of vampire. He wasn't perfect, even he could make mistakes, even his family could. Didn't Lyse realize that? Of course, there was no doubt in Carlisle's mind that no harm would be done to the boy, but how could Lyse know this for sure? He was going by the word of Carlisle and nothing more. What if all this was still just apart of the game? What if once they entered the house, Lyse would become they're evening snack? This possibility didn't seem to phase the boy at all. Carlisle smiled and shook his head, people like Lyse were rare to find these days. People who were so completely trusting and excepting. Who were open to whatever came their way. Lyse then suddenly laughed out of nowhere, breaking Carlisle's train of thought. Carlisle glanced back at him again, smiling in response to his laughter. He didn't bother asking, he was probably just laughing at how ridiculous this all was, either that, or he was laughing out of sheer nervousness.

They reached the door, he could hear his family conversing inside in a low murmur. They were arguing about Lyse. He could hear Rosalie's agitated voice, "How many more humans are we going to expose ourselves to? Maybe we should just tell the whole town, why waste anymore time." Carlisle knew she was making sure he could hear her objection.

Then Jasper's voice spoke, "show some respect Rosalie, they're coming in now."

"Yes, I know they are and I really don't care. I'm not going to pretend to be nice just for the sake of some nosey kid." she said this in practically a growl.

Then Lyse spoke and the voices ceased, tthe murmur replaced with dead silence, all of them listening. He asked about Carlisle's ability, a question he was expecting. Carlisle tried to maintain his smile, despite his new knowledge of Rosalie's sour outlook on the situation. But was it really a surprise? She had acted the same way with Bella at the beginning as well. "My ability is a little more subtle," he replied. "It has been decided that my gift is my unwavering compassion. My ability to put those in need before myself. To overcome my natural instincts for the greater good, so to speak." He stopped there, it was beginning to feel like a speech. "Any more questions before we go in?" He put his hands in his pockets to show that he was in no hurry. They had all the time in the world.

--

In the moment of silence before he asked the question, he heard the words. Hissed, half muttered, clearly not meant for his ears, wholly full of malic, spite.

Nosy kid. While Carlisle answered, he nodded, but his gaze was thoughtful now, his face troubled, and there was a small sadness, as though he was about to let something precious go and could not do anything to stop it. Yes, at first he had been scared, and then so excited, at meeting others who were like him in some retrospect. But then common sense slammed into him and he realized several things all at once. Once he had gotten over the fear of death, it was almost as though he had accepted it. He had wanted in some strange way for this to be his last. Since he could not, or rather would not try to kill himself anymore, he had to wait until someone or something did it for him. He had thought that his thoughts had remained generally simplistic, but there was that small part that had stayed long dormant that had hissed in excitement. _Come on now. Finish itt_ the thoughts hissed, in glee at the thought of not having to live anymore. It was a sick thought, he knew that, but it was impossible to stop a reaction he couldn't control.

Secondly, he saw now what Carlisle was sacrificing on his own, if he wasn't planning to kill him. He was going to show them their most closely guarded secret, in return for Lyse telling his. In a way they were both trapped. None could show the other for what he was, in fear of being exposed himself. Not that anyone would do that of course, but all the same it evened up the playing field. It was fine for Lyse to tell his, he didn't have anyone to worry about but himself. And honestly, he didn't really care too much anymore. And besides, how many times did you come across an opportunity like this? But Carlisle was different, he had a family, besides himself to protect. And it was acknowledged that some of them would not like being revealed to a stranger. It was very understandable.

For all the time Carlisle had known him in that short afternoon, he had appeared nothing but a child, nothing but a young boy in any aspect. Part of that was because that was what he was. Another part was because it was dangerous to show anything else but the antics of a child, for those who would notice. Now and again, in rare situations, the boy disappeared. The man in hiding took his place.

He studied Carlisle with wise gray eyes. In the moment of silence that passed, he spoke. "This is wrong." He hissed under his breath, not looking at anything. He shouldn't want to be killed. He shouldn't expose this mans family.

"You don't have to do this you know. You don't have to show your family to me. II know you must try very hard to keep safe and un..ed. I don't want to be a threat to you. I'll understand if you just want to keep them safe." He knew this was probably not what Carlisle had been expecting, but still he continued. "I have no one to concern with but myself. You have others, and they shouldn't be put at risk because of me." He leaned against the house wall, hands behind his back. He wasn't commanding or complaining, simply stating what he knew. Carlisle didn't have to do this for him. "I'm a danger to you because technically I'm still human. You don't have to do this because I told you my story." He smiled a little, but it contained no youthful innocence. It was harder.

--

Carlisle furrowed his brow. He looked away and into the trees for a long moment. There was no trace of a smile left on his face, his expression became cold, distant. His features were hard, like marble. It was something that vampires did well; resembling a hunk of stone. He wasn't entirely sure why, but Lyse's words had cut through him. A pain in his silent, still chest now lingered, as he looked quietly into the darkness of the surrounding forest. But even the trees seemed to look back at him, judging him, questioning him. He swallowed hard. Inside, his family waited, wondering what would happen if something went wrong. Trying to reassure themselves and each other that they could trust Carlisle, because he knew what he was doing, he always knew what he was doing.

With all that had happened in the last couple of years, with the number of times they came within terrifying reach of being completely exposed, they still stood behind that wooden door and waited in silence. Without objection or doubt, with the exception of Rosalie. But even with all her harsh words and questioning, she still stood there as well. The thought of leaving had never crossed their minds. So now, they had no other choice, what else could they do? With a sudden ache in his heart, he realized this. He realized what he was subjecting them to, what he was giving them in return for their loyalty. He recognized the truth in Rose's words, and in Lyse's words. Was this really necessary?

Lyse was no longer a risk, in his opinion. He was not just another human, he was far from ordinary. Perhaps he wasn't a vampire, but he too had a secret. One that, if discovered by the wrong person, could lead to an unfortunate outcome for Lyse. But it was obvious now that this was something that did not concern him in the slightest. It was apparent that he didn't, or couldn't care anymore. What he did care about, was the safety of Carlisle and his family. He believed that by meeting Carlisle's family, he could cause harm to them in some way. At this point, it no longer mattered. Lyse already knew their secret. He already knew that inside that house, six vampires were waiting to meet him. He could let the boy go, or he could let him stay, either way the damage was done. But Carlisle wanted Lyse to stay, he wanted to know more about him. Was that wrong? Perhaps his family wouldn't think it was once they met him. Perhaps they would be just as intrigued.

Carlisle knew Edward was listening again, that he was now aware of the internal battle going on inside of him. He took comfort in this, in the fact that he was not alone with his thoughts. Finally he looked back at Lyse, who was waiting for some kind of response. He thought back on Lyse's last statement, you don't have to do this because I told you my story. Carlisle's voice replied in a quiet, smooth undertone, "I'm not doing this merely in exchange for your honesty, Lyse. I would like you to stay and meet my family. I don't consider you a risk," he smiled, "it's obvious you can do no harm, and obvious that we both can--must, trust each other. I thank you for your concern." At that moment, the front door swung open. Edward stood in the doorway, expressionless. He quickly glanced at Carlisle and then at Lyse and said, "believe it or not, we're becoming impatient."

--

For a moment Lyse was silently horrified. The expression on Carlisle's face was one of pure pain and frustration. He wouldn't face him.

_What have I done? _.

He closed his eyes and leaned fully against the wall, his face one of sad defeat.

I didn't mean—I didn't want-- He tried to find a way to force a soothing sentence out of his mouth, but every way he turned it, it sounded insulting. He wrestled with himself for a few torturous minutes, staring at his shoes, thinking furiously. Both of them were too polite to simply shout something out. They restrained themselves, which was in some way, more painful to endure. Finally Carlisle turned and spoke, his voice calm, sure.

Lyse nodded slowly, trying to think of a man like Carlisle ever loosing his temper. It wasn't something commonly visualized. Control of temper came with time. The more time you had, the more control over your emotions you had. Therefore, that must have meant that what Lyse had said had struck him like a sharp whip. Lyse was so amazed at his own stupidity. He had never meant to hurt anyone.

As another surprise, the door opened swiftly. Lyse turned, his face carefully cautious. His mouth parted, as though he was going to speak, but he suddenly didn't feel in the place to do so. He quailed a little under the company, and all the attention suddenly focused on…him after so many years of being virtually unnoticed. He looked over at Carlisle one last time, and with his eyes conveyed what he could not put into words. Are you sure? Finally he faced the doorway, his expression plain and politely observing. He stepped back, as the voice talked in a smooth cool tone. When he caught the words spoken, a corner of his mouth lifted up a little, a spark of previous personality catching in his expression. He wasn't sure if the remark was made to be funny or not, but it was too late for that.

He sensed…life behind the exterior somehow, beyond the façade they were all wonderful at possessing. The boy was younger, his age perhaps but older too. The lines around his mouth, and the gentle intelligent surveying in his gaze. It made Lyse want to shrink. He wasn't used to being the center of several people's attention. He would much rather quietly watch it happen to someone else. Also he wasn't used to feeling younger. He kept to himself, gathered wisdom and knowledge where he could. All of a sudden he was surrounded with those vastly more experienced then himself. In all honesty, he had no idea what do to. He searched his mind to keep to the basic rules of polite etiquette accepted by society, while wondering if he should say anything. Speak when spoken to. Speak when acknowledged. He nodded quickly and curtly, as though convincing himself, and placed his hands behind his back once more, waiting.

--

Carlisle let out a hearty laugh at Edward's remark. A dramatic change from his mood just moments before. Lyse stayed silent, unsure of whether or not to express his understanding of the joke, Carlisle assumed. "It must have been quite a long day for you all then," he said, and then turned slightly to wink at Lyse.

Edward grinned in return, "you could say that, I guess."

"Ah, I knew you would be thankful for our guest." He briefly touched Lyse's shoulder, to emphasize who he meant.

It almost felt as if they were rehearsing lines, putting on an act, but for no one in particular but them selves. It was to help keep their sanity, to help lighten the darkness that constantly hung above their heads. The truth of their being on this earth. No one in the present company was unaware of what truly existed behind the props they used to appear "normal", but that, of course, didn't matter. Not that the human characteristic weren't real, or that they never meant the things they said, it just so easily felt like lies at times, due to the reality of what they were. As if they, at times, had no right to appear so human, because they just simply weren't.

Although most people would easily miss it, Carlisle could clearly see that Edward was concerned. Behind his grin he recognized the worry. Throughout the years he had become an expert at seeing Edward's true emotions, at seeing beyond the mask he often wore. Carlisle immediately assumed that Edward had decided to step in before Carlisle had the chance to make anymore rash decisions, or let the conversation go any further than was necessary. He wouldn't have come outside without a reason other than impatience, since Carlisle had instructed him to stay inside. He felt an overwhelming sense of shame at the thought.

More often than not, he let his compassion get in the way of logic. _His heart before his head_ Esme would always say. It wasn't always a bad thing, he knew when to let his heart decide and when to let his head take the lead, most of the time. But every now and then, his desire to see only the good in others got the better of him. Carlisle then considered the alternative, perhaps it was something within Lyse's thoughts that had prompted Edward to open the door. Something alarming, though Carlisle found this extremely hard to believe, or he simply refused to believe it. He waited for some sort of signal from Edward, some type of warning of Lyse's possible insincerity, but none came. Edward would have acted the moment he opened the door, he reminded himself.

Carlisle looked hesitantly back at Lyse, who stood silently, watching their exchange. He appeared to be much less at ease than before, more uncomfortable with the new company. Most reacted to Edward that way at first. Edward turned his attention to him as well, observing him intently as Carlisle spoke. "Edward, this is Lyse. Lyse, "he motioned towards Edward with his hand, "this is Edward Cullen."

Edward nodded at Lyse with a friendly smile, but kept both hands in his pocket. He then looked back at Carlisle, "He knows quite a bit, Carlisle. You didn't leave much out."

"No, I didn't." A hint of weariness crept into his eyes. "He has shared a fair amount with me as well. As I'm sure you already know," he directed a reassuring smile towards Lyse. He then looked past Edward and into the house, "is everyone waiting by the staircase?"

"Everyone but Emmett. He's out back. He said to holler for him once the small soap opera in the front porch was over with." Edward chuckled.

Carlisle looked down, still smiling. "Well then, let's not stand out here all night." Edward walked inside and Carlisle took the door, holding it open for Lyse. Then with a slightly louder tone he said, "Alright Emmett, we're ready."

In the distance, from somewhere within the trees, Emmett's jolly, carefree voice responded, "It's about time!"

--

He marveled at the sudden change come over Carlisle. He didn't realize how much more comfortable he would be around his family. It was good to see such warmth in him. But all of a sudden Lyse felt a sudden aching before he could stop it. The feeling of family was evident. And Lyse had never had that. It made him want to tear something apart. He gritted his teeth, clenching his fist at his sides for a brief moment. It made him so empty. He realized however, that it wasn't useful for him to act this way. He controlled his expression, and focused hard on what they were saying, to ignore the closeness between them.

When Carlisle introduced him, he touched his shoulder, like he was introducing a son. Lyse nearly jerked from the shock of it. It may sound strange, but he was used to no physical contact really, not in such a way. The most he was expecting was a handshake, or hands brushing when exchanging money. He had had no one touch him like that for more time then he cared to remember. It was a marvel he still had such a friendly nature considering it had probably been a few decades since he had received something like a touch on the shoulder, or even a hug in a friendly appreciative manner. But this was what people did. It was Carlisle's way of introducing and accepting him.

His posture relaxed, but his eyes never stopped moving.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact reason, why he thought it, but it sounded as though their lines were coming from a TV sitcom rather then from their actual instincts. Of course. He nearly put his hand to his head as he realized. It was for his sake they talked in such a manner. The family knew each other much too well to delve into such trivial conversation willingly. He imagined that their normal introductions would be much more subdued. He closed his eyes for a moment in embarrassment. He wished they didn't change for his sake.

He almost wished they would just ignore him. It made him feel as though he had something strange in his stomach the way they all looked at him. He detested attention .

Carlisle introduced them. Lyse felt like the child, who hid behind his mother's skirts. The second he had the full attention of Edwards' gaze, he felt as though he was being x-rayed. Indeed, he realized dimly, that was probably the equivalent. He nodded to him. How could a person, in a single gesture make another feel so inferior. Although Edward hadn't spoken, Lyse felt he would come across cool and indifferent if he didn't. "Pleasure," He greeted. The instant he had, he wished he had said something else. He nearly rolled his eyes. Quietly he thought,_ At least let me get into the front hall without tripping_. _Give me that at least._ A moment too late, he reminded himself that his thoughts were not private here. And of course he would be listened to with acute scrutiny. Oh…fuck.

You didn't leave much out? Christ! It was like he was reading his mind like a file drawer! His eyes widened. He glanced quickly at Carlisle for his reaction, and saw the sad tiredness in his eyes. Their secret was not something commonly told. He almost started to speak. "I'm not a mistake…I won't tell, I won't harm you, I promise!" But they were silent, pacing back and forth, restlessly caged in his thoughts. He closed his mouth where no sound had escaped.

Emmett. Who was Emmett? Another? Sure enough, with the call and responding answer Lyse's heartbeat sped up a tad. How many of them would he have to make an impression on? What would they think of him? "Curious…" Lyse said at last, his voice conflicting. "How many of you are there?" He pushed his hand through his hair quickly, a habitual worried gesture that did nothing.

--

As he stood in the doorway of their home, Carlisle heard Lyse's heartbeat speed up a few increments the moment Emmett responded. He couldn't help but smile slightly at such an innocent reaction. Lyse asked about their number, and Carlisle was briefly reminded that he had never shared with him just how many of them there were. He felt a mild sympathy for the boy's blindness to the entire situation. Feeling oblivious was not an enjoyable experience, he knew. Before Carlisle even had a chance to reply, Emmett was there, standing in the doorway with an answer to his question. "Carlisle didn't tell you? There's seven of us, including myself." He grinned broadly back at Lyse and held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, I'm Emmett."

Carlisle watched Lyse's reaction like a hawk and he gave Emmett a stern look for popping up so unexpectedly. _Was he trying to give the boy a heart attack?_ He thought furiously to himself. From inside the house, he heard Edward chuckle quietly. Emmett backed off a bit once he caught Carlisle's eye, and he walked into the house to stand beside Rosalie. Once inside, Carlisle turned and stood silently beside Lyse to face his family. The first person his eyes immediately fell upon was Esme. He looked back at her lovingly, a sparkle that was not there before appeared in his eyes. Upon her angelic face was an identical expression. To the right of her, perched on the bottom steps of the staircase, was Alice. She sat, legs crossed and teeth gleaming with a broad smile. Leaning against the staircase was Jasper, his expression neutral as he observed Lyse with a quiet fascination.

Emmett and Rosalie stood closest to Carlisle, the two expressions upon their faces a dramatic contrast. Rosalie seemed to be practically glaring back at Lyse, a mild look of disgust evident upon her face, as if she were staring at some type of unwelcome vermin. Emmett's expression remained friendly and carefree, obviously attempting to take no notice to Rosalie's disposition. Behind them was the piano, where Edward sat, letting his arm rest casually upon the keys.

Carlisle's soft, pleasant voice broke the brief silence. He looked at Lyse, and then raised his hand towards Esme. "Lyse, this is my wife, Esme." He moved on to Alice and the rest without hesitation, "Alice, Jasper and Rosalie." He paused for a moment at Rosalie, taking in her expression a second time and feeling an overwhelming jolt of guilt. He continued, his voice even softer than before, "And of course, you already know Emmett and Edward. This is my family." He glanced around the room once more.

The moment Carlisle had finished his last sentence, Alice leaped up immediately like a joyful ballerina and landed merely inches away from Lyse, "Hi Lyse!" She exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Forgive my blunt curiosity, but do you have a last name?" Her voice rang like a beautiful bell in the stillness of the room. Jasper moved slightly, tensing up a bit at Alice's abrupt introduction. As the entire room waited for Lyse to speak, a sense of calm serenity overcame Carlisle and the rest of the occupants, and he knew immediately that Jasper was working his magic. He gave a quick nod towards Jasper, and Jasper smiled back in acknowledgment, relaxing once again against the railing, and looking vaguely pleased.

--

Lyse would have jumped, more his senses gave a start, as the man approached him with all the friendliness of a playful bear, yet to realize he was dangerous. Emmett—apparently--was huge. Muscles tensed as he reached to shake his hand. Lyse returned it, not sure if he was able to breathe yet, but he gripped his hand as hard as he could, before having it returned to him. He felt, rather then saw Carlisle bristle beside him at the abrupt introduction. It had surprised him that was true enough. It was almost as though he had been confronted with a live tiger that instead of biting he nuzzled him. He wasn't sure how to take it. But he felt definite comfort that Carlisle understood. This made him bristle from the thought immediately. He didn't want any of them to feel responsible for him.

Seven?

Oh god. He closed his eyes for a half second. He felt horribly out of his element. I can't do anything to impress, to convince all of them that I'm worth their secret. What can I do, run fast? Jump far? Run coward run.

He felt slightly afraid; if you looked in his eyes you would see it. But he acknowledged it, and also that he could nothing about it. Which was more then some would do. He gritted his teeth, and stepped beside Carlisle. He wasn't expecting an audience. He balked only for a moment, a slight hesitance on his step as he crossed the threshold. He was inside.

Carlisle broke the silence, his voice careful and unoffending. They were all so beautiful, like fine marble statues. It was almost eerie that their entire attention was focused on him alone. He felt Carlisle's warmth as he introduced his wife. He nodded to her, his eyes softening a little under her gaze. He nodded to her, his face kind. It was impossible to feel threatened here. They gave off an impression of such, quiet careful peace. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, he jotted down mentally. The look the blonde, Rosalie gave him was scathing. She looked infuriated, but in a subtle sense. He felt that if he got any closer to her, it would be like stepping across hot coals. Lovely. He nodded to Edward and Emmett, an understanding replacing the cold uncomprehending gray in his eyes.

It was Alice who threw him off course. He opened his mouth, intending to speak but not entirely sure he would be able to. He was filled with a warm content calm, and his eyes quickly flicked Jasper, widening silently. "Um," He shook his head, let out a soft sound of utter disbelief, a kind of half laugh. He looked back to Alice. "Fullbright." The Scottish timbre sounding in the familiar word. "The name is Lysander actually." He sounded abnormally formal, and tried to say something else. "Lyse is just—shorter." He noted more then ever the glaring difference in his speech, and gave a small smile at himself sure that the entire room noticed as well.

"Well…" He stopped, unsure how to begin. He was sure Edward knew, and Carlisle about him. He could run, and he was impervious to aging. But how to begin? "I'm like the rest of you…in some sense." He started. "I share some of your traits, as far as I know." His voice lilted up at the end, and he breathed out for a moment. He was sure he hadn't breathed normally since the moment he had met Edward. "I didn't know there was anything close to me, close to what I was like. It feels…" He paused and looked around as though searching for a word in the room, his face slightly frustrated with his inability to explain himself. "Different." He finished. "But I'm glad you've decided to see me."

--

Carlisle listened as Lyse struggled a bit with his words. He looked around at his family, all of them trying to appear human, but no matter what they did, they all emanated something that could make any person feel as if they had shrunk in size right before them. They could be as friendly as anyone, but it was never enough to make a stranger feel completely comfortable in their presence.

Everyone in the room stared back at Lyse in silence, as he attempted to explain himself. Carlisle remained by his side with no intention of leaving it. It was the least he could do for Lyse, to not leave him standing alone to face a room full of vampires. As soon as he had uttered the words, "I'm like the rest of you...", everyone in the room stirred just a bit. Carlisle looked down at the floor, knowing he would need to elaborate, and soon. Alice has obviously kept quite a bit to herself. He looked back up to meet Alice's eyes. She was still standing in front of Lyse, though she had backed up a little to give him some space. She was the only one, besides himself, who didn't look surprised at what Lyse was saying. He couldn't bring himself to look at Rosalie again.

They all let him finish what he had to say, but as soon as he did, Rosalie's smooth clear voice filled the room. Carlisle knew the tone of her voice would bring fear into any human. "You are nothing like us. You have no idea what it's like to be us." At that, she turned on her heel and was across the room in the blink of an eye, striking Lyse one last time with her words as she paused at the entrance into the kitchen, "He shouldn't be here." And then she was gone. Emmett glanced back at Lyse apologetically and followed behind, disappearing into the kitchen as well.

Alice glared at the empty doorway, where Rosalie had been moments before, and then looked at Lyse with a smile. "Pay no attention to her, she doesn't really like making new friends."

Jasper laughed quietly from behind her, "Yeah, that's an understatement."

A sound similar to wind-chimes filled the room as Alice laughed in return. She then leaned in closer to Lyse, as if to examine him more closely. "Well, you're definitely not a vampire," She sniffed him once and then stepped back, "and you're not a werewolf either. So, I like you already, Lysander." She put a slight emphasis on his name, and then repeated it to herself more quietly, "I like your name too."

Carlisle chuckled, though Alice often made him nervous with the things she did, he couldn't deny that she had a way of lightening up a serious situation. He stepped towards her and lightly placed his hand on her shoulder, "Perhaps you should give him a little more space, Alice, we don't want to overwhelm him."

"Of course, Carlisle," she replied politely, and pranced over to where Jasper stood.

Jasper was still watching Lyse, a million questions apparent in his eyes. "So, Lysander, I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean when you say that you have similar traits to us." He then looked at Carlisle, as if unsure whether he should say what he was about to say next, but then continued anyway, "and, uh, are you aware of what we can do?"

Carlisle was about to step in, but then stopped himself. Instead, he decided he would wait for Lyse to speak again. Perhaps there was more to him than what Carlisle was already aware of.

--

The moment Lyse finished he could tell something was wrong. The air had a tense, twisting quality to it, and he felt faintly sick, as some people do when looking from a great height. There was something wrong. It was as though he had just uttered every oath and every dark secret in front of someone's grandmother. Someone he meant to make a good impression on. It was the tense silence before the crash. Rosalie's words rang out like a bell, and her face was absurdly beautiful even in anger. He watched her, and with every word his face paled further in quiet horror. All color was gone from his cheeks. He was blanched from shame and fear. His hands shook and he shoved them in his pockets. He took a shuddering breath. Oh no.

"That was all wrong." He muttered in a near whisper, shaking his head. "That was all wrong."

They tried to make up for it, but he could still feel as if he had said something awful. "I didn't mean at all…I'm so sorry." He searched for some approval, some recognition in their faces. They were each welcoming and gentle, but careful. They didn't dare get too close. He suddenly wanted to scream. He wanted to cry out, and it was so strong that he pursed his lips together. It was like he was seeing them from behind a plate of glass. Here he was, thinking he would be understood, and he didn't know the first thing about any of them. It was ridiculous. "I'm sorry." He half laughed, from anger and embarrassment. "I don't…" And then he realized he had no idea what to say. So he tried to answer instead. "No, I'm not a vampire. No."

Carlisle motioned that Alice should step back. "No—really." He started. He didn't need to have all this, he was fine. But he nodded, seeing in Carlisle this was where the gentle force of power lay. He didn't need interfere, as Carlisle was older then him, and knew what was best for his own family. He swallowed to soothe an uncommonly dry throat and looked to Jasper. He was by far the most curious…and the most careful. He stopped himself from delving into what that meant. He smiled in a friendly way for their sakes. It was their risk to bring him here, not his. "Lyse is fine. And…I understood most of what you can do I think, that's why I'm here."

He laughed suddenly and was surprised that he found something funny, but he realized something. "No one's called Lysander informally in around 60 years." He smiled. "Not since, well." His eyes took on a peculiar quality. That of deep thought. He soon realized the slip of the tongue. He most certainly did not look 60. "I suppose this is where I better explain then." He didn't need to look at Carlisle. He could already feel six eyes trained on him.

He leaned his back against the wall, and spat it out, what he so rarely said. "I was born in 1927 in Whillenhall. In 1944 I was 17…and living in London."

His voice was soft. His eyes were focused on his hands, though he could hear every soft intake of breath. You might know about the air raids there of course." He paused. Even after so long, talking about it was difficult. Because his brain had not been marred by age, it was as crystal clear as then. He remembered everything. "One night…there was an air raid." He decided he better edit. "I went down to the station. I waited for my family. When they didn't come I went looking for them. I barely escaped and when I woke up…things were different you see." He looked up at all of them.

His voice was gentler as he continued. "For the next part I think…we may need to go outside." He looked over at Carlisle and found his silent consent. He went out the still open door and quickly down the steps, the wood making a rapping sound under his feet. He stood facing the family on the porch. "Just…watch." He said at last, holding his hands slightly up. And then he began to run.

The ground spun under his feet, the wind whizzed in his ears. The long grass of the meadow whipped past his knees in a smacking sound. He pushed his legs faster, faster, faster, until he was out of breath. He would have fallen to his knees, they ached so. He was trying to prove, how much he was like them the faster he went. His cheeks were flushed when he stopped, his eyes sparkled. He stood in the same spot where moments ago he had left. "You see….what I'm trying to tell you? How I'm….like you?" He panted. There was nothing like a good run that left him winded. He sat down in the grass, folding his legs sinuously beneath him, and looked back up.

--

Every single pair of eyes in the open, well lit entry-way of the Cullen residence became fixated upon Lyse in an even more intense concentration than before. The moment he spoke of his age, it was as if they were all speechless with shock. He was still quite young in comparison to the others, but the fact that he had lived for 60 years and still appeared to be a 17 year old human boy was fascinating enough as it was. He told his story just as he had told Carlisle, and Carlisle soon found himself grinning. The only one grinning now, the rest oddly resembled a group of dear caught in headlights. It was actually rather amusing to see, very little surprised his family now-a-days. To be honest, the last time anything had caught them off guard in such a manner, was when they had first come to Forks and had discovered the werewolves in La Push. This was right up there with a bunch of half animal, half human, Native american teenagers. It had been humbling for them all, actually. Perhaps this encounter would have the same effect. Carlisle nodded his head, feeling a little more at ease, maybe this wasn't so bad of an idea after all.

He looked at Lyse standing beside him, he couldn't help but like the kid. What wasn't there to like? He was honest, understanding, and genuinely concerned about others besides himself. It was something difficult to find in those who were blessed with unusual "gifts". Usually, one's special abilities would consume them, produce some level of arrogance that even the individual could become unaware of.

But not Lyse, he carried his abilities with a type of quiet grace, it seemed. He took in humility openly, and above all, he was polite. Extremely polite and patient, also something that was very difficult to find in this day and age. He truly admired the boy.

Lyse turned to him, searching for his approval. Merely talking would no longer do, he needed to show them, Carlisle agreed with this entirely. He followed him outside, only turning away for a moment to address Rosalie and Emmett, who were in the back yard. Just raising his voice slightly, he said, "you may want to see this, Rose, Emmett."

They all gathered on the front porch, and moments later Rosalie and Emmett were standing beside him as well. Rosalie crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at Carlisle, "this better be good." The rest stood silent, but you could almost hear their anticipation.

When Lyse began to run, Carlisle could tell he was pushing himself as hard as he could, and he sped away from them at an even faster pace than he had been when he first saw him on the side of the road. It still wasn't as fast as a vampire, but it was impressive, there was no doubt about that. And he saw this confirmed in his family member's expressions. Each of them watched, smiles finally forming on all of their faces. Smiles of approval. Of course, Rosalie was the only one still frowning, but she looked surprised, she wasn't successfully disguising that, if she was trying to at all.

When he had come to a stop in front of them again, instead of appearing to be exhausted, it looked as if a new dose of energy had shot through him. He looked more alive than before, almost as if running was his drug, and he craved it, needed it to sustain his well being. Carlisle could see it in his eyes, a glint of joy that wasn't there before. He then sat in the grass, panting, maybe it put a lot into him, but it also seemed to take a lot out of him. He looked back at his family, waiting for some sort of response. Finally, Jasper burst out laughing, and Carlisle raised his eyebrows with surprise. "You think running fast makes you like us?" he asked, now trying to suppress his sudden outburst of laughter. Before Carlisle could say anything, Edward spoke.

"You misunderstand, Jasper. He's simply pointing out that he shares this similar quality with us. He has no intention of comparing himself to a vampire. He just wants us to know that he can run like us, and stay young like us as well."

"It's rather amazing." Esme piped up, her voice gentle and sweet.

"So is that all you can do?" Emmett asked, "run really fast, and stay young? Or can you fly too?" His laughter thundered at his own remark, and the rest smiled, even Rosalie. Her first smile of the evening.

--

Lyse didn't know what to expect when he stopped running. For them to be shocked maybe, like they were with his story? Possibly angry, he had already experienced that. But to be laughed at, and have his ability mocked? A slightly confused look crossed his face mingled with frustration. He hadn't expected this. His brow furrowed as he waited for an explanation. When last they spoke, Jasper's words stung like a whip right across his face. He reeled in shock, and hurried to explain to himself, and remedy the situation. Why couldn't he do anything right? This was all a bloody mistake. He never should have come, what was he thinking, being accepted? He was being idiotic, that's what it was, thinking he would be understood and sympathized with by total strangers. By those who were infinitely different and wiser then himself. He cursed himself over and over again, swearing every word he knew including Latin and Middle Gaelic. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. If he just got up and left, would they come after him? His fists clenched in the grass for an infinitesimal second. Hold it Lysander. Hold it. A little voice of reason hissed in his ear, and he simply stayed completely still. His thoughts took less then four seconds.

"No, that's not it at all, I just meant--" He started quickly his lips parted in bewilderment. Edward cut in, his voice smooth and cool. Lyse let out a breath. He closed his eyes and thought thank you as clearly as he could. There was no missing the small Edward gave him in return. Okay, so maybe he had a chance. He noticed for one moment when he looked at their faces as a whole that they were all smiling. Good or bad? He weighed quickly. He shook his head. Whatever, he'd take what he could get. Even Rosalie looked no longer disgusted. That was a certain improvement. At least he thought so. He was still somewhat unsure. He felt somewhat like he was the butt of some private joke.

Yet again, he heard another. Is that all you can do? . Before he could control himself, his eyes flashed, a momentary shocked look, cold, taking place. But it smoothed. So apparently he was under a misapprehension. He had thought that staying young, and being unaffected by age was something rather unheard of. And running faster then 50mph…well he guessed that just wasn't important. His thoughts dripped with unrelenting sarcasm. He bit the inside of his lip until he winced with pain, holding back words. Isn't that all you can do? Or perhaps I'm wrong. Please forgive my ignorance. He wanted to snap. But it would be incredibly rude, and he knew that.

It wasn't until Esme spoke, her voice sweet and praising he felt…soothed, like a cool mother's praise, it was something you hungered for, no matter how old you were. He was sure with her word he was generally accepted. And that brought incredible relief. Emmett said that maybe he could fly. Eager to prove himself, he almost said he could. For it was true, he could jump any height or distance with little trouble. He was the ultimate stuntman, with no need of special effects or another take. He really could in all retrospect. But he knew if he acted now, he would be showing off like a strutting peacock. He waited until the laughter mellowed and he spoke. "Something like that." He said vaguely, keeping it to himself and Carlisle alone, for Carlisle had seen him leap. He enjoyed immensely seeing the look of muffled surprise in their eyes. They couldn't guess if he was serious or joking. He even saw a flicker in Edward's, for he was sifting through Carlisle's memories. His eyes widened slightly more then the others as he realized. He's not joking. A smirk of boyish achievement curled up contentedly at the corners of Lyses' lips.

He felt the need to explain something else, and waited until their gaze was focused. "What none of you know completely though is something else. He bit his lip, as though contemplating how exactly to put it. His eyes flitted from side to side. "I'm still human because I'm still mortal you see. I have successfully evaded fatal accidents for close to 81 years now." He smiled at the words. "If something bad happened to me, if I were badly injured I would most certainly die. But…given the advance of medicine…I can't see how I'm going to do that unless I get hit by a train." He said honestly. It was one of Lyses' biggest fears to be sent to a hospital. That he would get in something like a car accident and they would look up his records in order to access his insurance and such. And in doing so they would see that he had no one. Thus, the question would be asked why, and further investigation would be done. Somewhere along the line, he feared he would be found out. Submitted to endless tests and things, why he was able to repel the process of aging. It sparked the terror in his heart just thinking it.

Lyse cocked his head, his hair falling in his eyes for a moment. And when he brushed it away, a more serious look had taken place on his face. "You have it slightly better me, you understand. From my take, you're…impervious to injury?" He posed the rhetorical question. A slightly…melancholy tinge entering his perfectly cultivated tone. "For if I were ever injured, ever enough to need more then I could give myself, I would almost certainly be found out." He pursed his lips at the uncomfortable topic. But he knew it needed to be understood.

--

"Something like that", he had said in response to Emmett's statement, and everyone's smile dropped, almost in complete unison. Carlisle looked at Lyse with a bit of a smirk, knowing very well what he was talking about. It was almost like flying, what he could do. The others didn't understand, they no doubt were taking the statement a little more literally. Perhaps trying to imagine Lyse up in the sky. He then caught the brief exchange between Lyse and Edward, and knew that Edward was in on this little secret as well. Carlisle was about to cut in to elaborate for the rest of his family, but then Lyse continued.

He found himself slightly stunned at his next words. This was one topic that had never come up between them: Lyse's mortality. They hadn't covered it in detail at least, Carlisle had just assumed that since he still stood before them physically not a day over 17, that he was for the most part indestructible. He then realized what a silly assumption it actually was. Just because he couldn't age, didn't mean he couldn't die. They were two different things in fact. What one saw on the outside rarely ever mirrored what was inside. The outer shell could be deceiving, he and his family knew this all too well. Carlisle thought back to the day that he had changed, to the day that he had "died", so to speak. He could still recall it clearly, as if it were just yesterday, how torturous it was knowing that no matter what he did, he could not destroy himself.

All the times he had tried to end himself only resulted with the hopelessness he had felt for so long. He gazed at Lyse in wonder. Had the boy never come across such thoughts? Thoughts of his own self destruction? Here he was 80 years later, so it was obvious that he had never decided upon suicide. If he could die, why had he chosen to remain? Even after everything he cared about had gone. What had motivated him to stay alive for this long?

He glanced back at his family, it seemed as if they were all wondering the same thing, but he knew they weren't. They were merely confused by Lyse in general. But when his eyes fell upon Rosalie, a sickening chill crept through his body in reaction to the expression upon her face. Just moments before, she had been smiling, but now she looked positively enraged. Her lips were set tight and her eyes were narrowed as she stared back at Lyse. Each word he was now speaking seemed to be pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Carlisle looked away, knowing very well what was setting her off yet again. Rosalie was touchy about the way she was, she was bitter about her burdens and envied those who were human. The fact that Lyse was practically human but still possessed similar gifts to her was enough to make her cringe, at the very least. He looked over at Edward, who was watching Rosalie carefully, tense with what he was hearing in her head.

All within what seemed to be a half of a second, Lyse had finished speaking, Carlisle had taken a step towards Rosalie, and Rosalie had swooped out of reach and down the porch steps, appearing in the tall swaying grass, directly in front of Lyse.

Carlisle reacted within the next second and Edward had reacted even quicker, both of them appearing beside her and grabbing her arms to pull her away from him. As they pulled her away, her words cut through the silence like a razor blade.

"You really think you're something, don't you Lyse? You stand before us, smug, practically bursting with pride."

"Rosalie." Carlisle's voice was hard and angry now.

But she continued, as if she didn't even notice Edward and Carlisle on either side of her. "Then you turn around and play the martyr, like you have it so tough! You actually have the audacity to say we have it better than you! Don't be so quick to judge kid, you haven't the slightest idea of the pain we've gone through. All of this," she motioned at her body, as if what she spoke of was visually obvious, "it comes with a price. Yeah, we're pretty much indestructible, we can also run fast, like you, only faster. We've got super strength, enhanced senses, the sun does something to us that would make your jaw drop, and, just incase you weren't aware, we can drain you of your blood in seconds. Believe me when I say that none of it is worth the price we all pay. What price do you pay for your advantages? None that I can see."

She then shrugged Edward and Carlisle off of her, and for the second time that evening, disappeared from sight. Only leaving her bitter words to linger in the rigid atmosphere.

Carlisle and Edward both looked back at Lyse, both obviously humiliated by Rosalie's display. Before Lyse had a chance to react to what had just happened, Carlisle was speaking in his soothing voice, "Lyse, I'm sorry. Truly. Please know that the rest of us don't feel that way. Rosalie has her reasons to be angry, but it does not justify her behavior. She should not have attacked you the way she did, she had no right to. You've said and done nothing wrong."

From behind him, Esme spoke, her voice nurturing and kind, "We will understand if you wish to leave, but we would like you to stay." She smiled softly, the embarrassment of what had happened still lingering in her eyes. Even Alice was silent and slightly somber. None of them had any intention of scaring him away.

Carlisle stepped away from him and looked him directly in the eyes, his body still and his face solemn, "What you can do, what you are, it's... miraculous. None of us have ever seen anything like it before. I don't know why you're here, in Forks, Washington of all places, but perhaps we were meant to meet. I'm glad I have met you, Lyse." He stepped aside to reveal the house behind him and the remaining members of his family, all standing side by side on the porch now. He directed one arm towards the entire scene and said, "we're aware of your misfortune, of your fear of being found out, it is something we all struggle with as well. But we have become quite the experts at handling our tribulations, and we would like to help you. So, our door is open to you. Would you like to stay?"

--

Lyse didn't even see it coming this time. He didn't even try to defend himself. He knew every word she spoke was true. If he wasn't able to remove himself from the situation in such a way and retreat to the far corners of his rational mind, the physical pain would have been much greater, unbearable perhaps. He stepped into a fog where the words were not being said to him, but to the strange young boy sitting on the grass. That boys' face never moved a fraction. He simply stayed calm as though she had given him an interesting question to consider.

Seeing the words spat at him with such unrivaled hatred made him realize what a fool he had been for coming. Every step he had come it had felt wrong. And here it was, this was why it had felt so wrong. The words slashed across him like whip lashes, leaving fresh stinging welt marks. He felt as though he couldn't breathe, but he kept on breathing. So this is what the beginning of the end feels like…he wondered dimly. This slow compliance, the slow lying down to it at last. It was life showing him that he didn't belong here anymore.

In his mind, a small part of him shook his head in disappointment at his foolishness. He had lived his life among humans, thinking no less or more of himself, simply trying to make what he could of his life. And now, seeing that there were people out there with so much more suffering then he, that he had had the perspective wrong all these years…was the way of letting go. That was it. Death might as well have pointed at him, and beckoned with a curled finger. He had had a wonderful life. But he had lived far longer then he was supposed to. And now it was done. He wasn't giving up. He wasn't giving in. He wasn't weak. He was just acknowledging that at last was as far as he would get.

With that he came back to reality. He had not thought all this. Somewhere in him it had clicked together, like missing puzzle pieces. His thoughts and his mood stayed as comfortably blank as a sheet of paper. He stayed still in the fog. He knew he would be as exposed as a newborn babe if he stepped out of it. They saw nothing. He heard their words, and replied to them. "You've been so kind to me. I never thought for a moment I'd come upon anything like this. But I can't do that just now." He said at last, with a soft gentle smile. But where to continue from here? I'll come back, I promise? Visit any time? He could say nothing. "Thank you for deciding to see me." He said at last. He knew they could catch up to him if they wanted, but he thought they would respect him and leave him be.

He ran at a ridiculously fast pace back through the trees, his legs following the setting sun. He ached with the sting of words. He felt as though he was bleeding from the inside. His face was flushed with pain, his eyes sparkled with furious regret that ate at him like a wild animal. He ran with the wind in his face, with the chill on his arms. Fast, angry tears came down his face, one from each eye, and he wiped them away with a hand. "You stupid little girl." He growled through gritted teeth. "Stupid , stupid!" if she had any idea that much had hurt…he wanted to strangle her. He wanted to hurt her. He wanted to leave her broken. He stopped for a moment, at the edge of the road, toes on the tarmac. He took a deep breath, and left his anger behind him with the fading beats of his feet. Such a beautiful, quiet, peaceful night he had never seen. He was at the Port Angeles airport in fifteen or twenty minutes. From there he would go to Seattle. From there he would go to New York, on a joint flight to London. He had a copy of his passport, and a bankcard in his wallet. He needed nothing. He wanted nothing but the coat on his back. He didn't want to give anything to anyone before he left. He would be dead, and have no care for anything left in the material world. He only wished he could have had some company. Carlisle, with his eyes ages old, filled with centuries of untold wisdom, he would have understood everything.

But the time for company was past. Lyse would make this one last journey alone.

Only on the plane from Seattle to New York did he allow himself to think past blank comfort. He leaned back in his seat, the only thing he carried with him was the passport, the wallet, and the final one way ticket to London. The arms of his jacket wrinkled as he reclined his seat and closed his eyes. A childish little jump of excitement lodged in his throat at the chance of seeing everything again. His mother's grave, his old street, perhaps some of the stores. Some familiar things had to be there. After seventy some years, he was coming home. His eyes remained closed, his breathing slow. After only a moment, he jumped as though shocked in his seat. He gave a startled gasp. He had forgotten Alice. Could she what he was planning on doing? Would she tell someone? Would they come after him? He grimaced in pain at the thought of anyone worrying about him. Oh…I have no one. Just leave me alone. He closed his eyes…and waited.

He was surprised at how quick the plane ride had been. How quick the bus ride had been. It must have been hours. The day here was bright with the dawn of a new one. The world stayed hushed and not yet woken. But now walking the streets, he felt as though he had already died. It was so strange. Some things were new, and some things he still recognized. He had to be dreaming. He would wake up in a bed somewhere. But there it all was. There was the tree he had climbed when he was ten! And the house he had dashed to, getting ice cream for Liz. If his eyes could have opened any wider they would have popped. He had to tell himself not to run.

He started to jog when he reached the achingly familiar turnoff. The cemetery. He passed right through the grounds, over the pavement. He knew where it was. He had never forgotten. He searched and searched, his eyes searching with a focused intent, a fierce intent, never leaving much of the ground above There. Right by the oak tree, in a small lawn was the stone, sticking up. It was black granite, the words placed in bronze. It had not moved. It was the very last thing on this earth that remained from his life…before. His eyes were drawn to it with a magnetic pull. His fingers flexed to touch it. It only took one slight touch, and Lyse crumpled. His knees buckled, and tears flooded his eyes with such an intensity he couldn't see. He gripped the stone with his right hand, so tightly. He was afraid if he let go it would go away, disappear. "Mum?" He whispered, his voice choked, his lips parted. "Mum, I'm coming. Dad, Lizzie and James, Anne, I'm coming. I'm coming. He leaned his forehead against the stone feeling the cool of and it against his flushed skin. Tears dripped onto the letters. He whispered words that he was sure only they could hear. "I missed you so much." He said at last. Just being here, where everything was still as it was, with his mother, he felt at peace. He slept against the cool stone for a moment. It was so quiet here. And he was so very…very tired. He got up as he felt rain trickle down onto the stone. He pressed his lips against it for a single moment, and left.

He went to the house. It wasn't his house. His was gone. Something was over it now. He was at the house he had jumped into. The basement cellar. The one that had saved, and changed his life. That was still here. It was abandoned, empty and lonely. It wanted to move on, just like him. He passed his hand slowly over the wood, as though he could still feel the warmth beneath it. As though it was alive. The window he had jumped through had been patched and not broken since.

When the window had been patched they had made much bigger, to make up for the lost bricks. There was no floor below, that one must have been knocked down. There was a sickening far drop to the bottom. The glass was dusty. Lyse backed up. His face was void of all emotion. With shocking speed he ran, and launched himself into the glass before you could blink. The shattering was light, sounding like tiny bells against the pavement and dusty ground below. He gave a cry of pain, and it stopped as soon as he fell with a dull thud. Shards glittered around him like snow. Crimson blood spread with fast urgency, around him like spider webs. His expression was that of pain—a muffled cry, and the oblivion of unconsciousness.


End file.
